Far Away
by shehasadestiny
Summary: Helo’s imagined return to Galactica. In no way does this story reflect the episode where the producers and writers actually put him back aboard the Galactica. Song fic set to Nickelback’s “Far Away”


Title: Far Away

Author: shehasadestiny

Rating: K

Tagline: _Been far away for far too long_

Summary: Helo's imagined return to _Galactica_. In no way does this story reflect the episode where the producers/writers actually put him back aboard the _Galactica._ Song fic set to Nickelback's "Far Away"

Spoilers: Miniseries, most of season one

_This time, this place_

_Misused, mistakes_

_Too long, too late_

_Who was I to make you wait_

_Just once chance_

_Just one breath_

_Just in case there's just one left_

'_Cause you know_

_You know, you know_

Karl C. Agathon stepped out of the Raptor, tired and dirty, worn-out, but completely happy to be home. "Good to be home," he said softly, watching the people run around in the hangar deck. It was vaguely reminiscent of chickens without heads, running around by pure reflex. He breathed in the oily smell and suddenly realized just how much he'd missed the _Galactica._ Then he saw Sharon Valerii out of the corner of his eye, and his mouth dropped open . . .

_That I love you_

_I have loved you all along_

_And I miss you_

_Been far away for far too long_

_I keep dreaming you'll be with me_

_And you'll never go_

_Stop breathing if_

_I don't see you anymore_

Sharon was his love; and he'd thought she'd died back on Caprica after coming back to save his life. But he'd been wrong, and here she stood, radiant in her Fleet fatigues and standing next to the Chief. He watched her shake her head with a smile. "No," he heard her say, "I miss him a lot, but . . . there really isn't anything I can . . ." She stopped when Chief pointed behind her and she spun. Her face turned white, and then, after a long moment, she ran across the hangar deck and launched herself at him. "HELO!" She buried her face in his neck as he staggered backwards a few steps, arms thrown carelessly around her in an attempt to keep his own balance. "Sharon?"

_On my knees, I'll ask_

_Last chance for one last dance_

'_Cause with you, I'd withstand_

_All of hell to hold your hand_

_I'd give it all_

_I'd give for us_

_Give anything but I won't give up_

'_Cause you know_

_You know, you know_

"Helo, I missed you!" she said, tears streaming freely down her face.

"You—you did?" He frowned. "But you . . . you were back there on Caprica, just before . . . just before I left . . ."

The Chief was watching them, a more-than-jealous expression on his face, and Helo could feel anger burning in his stomach. "Sharon, maybe I should . . . maybe I should leave for now, and go see . . . the rest of the pilots."

"No!" her reply was vehement and she pulled out away from him to stare him in the face. "You aren't leaving my sight."

"Yeah." He disentangled himself from Sharon and saw once more the cold look Tyrol was giving him. "I'll just go . . . see Starbuck, you know?" He turned away, anger burning even stronger in his stomach, but now it was accompanied by the pain of knowing she'd chosen Tyrol in his absence.

_That I love you_

_I have loved you all along_

_And I miss you_

_Been far away for far too long_

_I keep dreaming you'll be with me_

_And you'll never go_

_Stop breathing if_

_I don't see you anymore_

Helo dropped to his knees in front of his locker and put his head against the cold metal door. She'd chosen _him_. The Sharon on Caprica had chosen to be with Helo, but this Sharon, this _Galactica_ shell . . . she'd chosen Tyrol. He hadn't even been gone more than a month and already she was talking about his "loss" as soon as he'd stepped back home. He heard the door open, but he didn't care who saw him like this, not anymore. Not since Sharon had . . . well, thinking back on it, she'd been having a thing with Tyrol, but she'd _known_ he loved her. She'd _known._

_So far away_

_Been far away for far too long_

_So far away_

_Been far away for far too long_

_But you know_

_You know, you know_

He felt the hand on his shoulder, but he didn't move. A quiet, "Karl?" Still, he didn't move. He didn't care who saw him anymore . . . he just wanted to be left alone for a very long time. It would take longer than he had any hope of living for the wound that had just been opened to heal. "Karl, look at me." He didn't move. "Go away."

"Helo." It was Kara; even after a month, he still recognized her voice.

"Go away, Kara." He didn't open his eyes. "Just go away."

"Helo, listen to me!" She squeezed his shoulder, but he ignored the sudden jerk of pain.

"Go away."

"LISTEN TO ME." She jerked him around, forcing him to open his eyes to fight a sudden wave of nausea.

"GO AWAY!" he roared. "I DON'T WANT TO DO THIS WITH YOU!"

She growled. "You idiot! I'm trying to talk to you about you coming back, and here you are, moping over Sharon. She's gone, Helo. You've just got . . . to accept it." He could hear her choking herself off.

"No, Kara. She's right . . . she's right here."

She watched him close his eyes again. "No. She's gone. Just like Zak Adama, she's gone. You'll never see her the way you did before, ever again."

_I wanted_

_I wanted you to stay_

'_Cause I needed_

_I need to hear you say_

_That I love you_

_I have loved you all along_

_And I forgive you_

_For being away for far too long_

_So keep breathing_

'_Cause I'm not leaving_

_Hold on to me and_

_Never let me go_

Karl "Helo" Agathon sat in the Raptor, watching Sharon "Boomer" Valerii go about her usual duties. He wanted to scream at her, but he kept quiet. He didn't say anything when the sensors picked up DRADIS contacts, he just tapped her on the shoulder and pointed at his screen. She gave him a weird look, "Helo? Something wrong? Did you lose your voice?" He shook his head. "Then why aren't you talking to me?"

"Because I'm afraid I'll yell at you," he answered quietly before getting back to analyzing who the DRADIS contacts could be.

"Yell at me?"

"Yeah." He looked back at her. "About . . . Tyrol." He swallowed hard and went back to his work, intending not to answer her the next time she spoke.

"Helo, it's . . . it's not like that anymore." She clenched her fingers tight against her leg.

"The DRADIS contacts are civilian aircraft. I think we're headed in the wrong diretion to be doing a CAP."

"You're not listening!" she screamed.

He clapped a hand to his head. "Don't yell at me."

"Then just get it through your thick head that it's not like that between the Chief and I, and it hasn't been for about a week. I've been so . . . depressed about not having you with me that my flying has gotten worse, the Chief and I split up, and everything is just . . . different."

"Good for you."

_Been far away for far too long_


End file.
